White Hall Fire Station gets a face lift

White Hall Fire Station No. 1 has received new doors and windows and a fresh coat of paint on the exterior in an ongoing effort by the town to maintain its municipal structures.

White Hall Fire Station No. 1 has received new doors and windows and a fresh coat of paint on the exterior in an ongoing effort by the town to maintain its municipal structures.

"We are remodeling Station 1. We put in new doors across the front of the station where the fire trucks are stored," White Hall Mayor Noel Foster said. "Just like your home, you need to take care of your home and be responsible. We want to take care of what we have."

Fire Station No. 1 on 208 Anderson Ave. received a fresh coat of paint on the exterior, Foster said. The structure had old doors and windows that were not energy-efficient either, further leading to the upgrade. These changes are typical for any local government maintaining its properties and being a good neighbor, Foster said.

"[The changes] make it look like a whole new building," Foster said. "This fall we plan to paint the inside of the building. We will use our public works employees rather than outside labor.

"We want to be good neighbors to people who live next to city properties," Foster said. "We pay all our bills on time. We are using money from surplus reserve fund.

"I’ve tried to invest in our own properties by taking care of them," Foster said. "By doing this, we maintain surplus revenue. … I think people who live near our facilities and who visit our city appreciate us taking care of our properties and parks."

White Hall Fire Chief Sandy Castleberry said the upgrades made over the last couple of months make the building look better and operate more efficiently. The fire station used to look like a garage, he said.

"It looks a whole lot more like a fire station," Castleberry said. "The doors operate smoother and a little better. People can come by and look at the firetrucks. Our building needed a face lift to match City Hall and the library."

Fire Station No. 1 received two new walk-through and five overhead doors that meet new standards, including an emergency exit, he said. Looking forward, Castleberry said the fire station will receive a new coat of paint in the inside and a remodelling of the kitchen.